1. Field of the Invention
This invention is generally directed to both safety and convenience devices for use in marinas or along docks where pleasure craft are docked or tied and specifically to a combination of an article carrying cart which can be utilized by boat or small craft owners to transport articles from a land based store or parking lot to their boat and thereafter be utilized to form a stairway which will provide a convenient and safe means for boarding their boats from the dock.
2. History of the Prior Art
In marinas and other public and private docking areas, it is often difficult for boat owners or operators to transport supplies, tools, belongings, equipment or other articles to and from boats which are anchored or tied along the docks which provide access to the boats in the water. In many commercial marinas or boat yards, wheelbarrows, wagons or carts are provided for use of boat owners so that various goods and articles can be transported between their automobiles and boats which are tied along dockside. The use of such mobile carts to facilitate the movement of goods not only from private vehicles but from supply stores near the marina or docks has been growing in acceptance over recent years.
An inherent problem with boarding boats which are tied along docks is that frequently the tide or water level creates a situation where the boat or water craft is raised substantially above the level of the dock thereby making access to the boat extremely difficult. This situation is made additionally awkward when considering that the person boarding the craft may be carrying heavy packages, articles or goods. In addition, if there is any tidal movement or wave motion in the area adjacent to the docks, such action will cause a rocking motion of the boat which further makes boarding more difficult especially when the boat has been elevated by high tides or high water levels.
Likewise, at low water levels or low tides, persons coming into a dock area may encounter substantial difficulty in unloading various articles or supplies from their boats to the dock area as the water level may be such that the deck of the boat is substantially below the dock thereby necessitating that loads be lifted and passed to persons on the dock. Further, a difference in height between a boat deck and a dock may make passage therebetween unsafe especially for small children and senior or handicapped adults.
Although there has been some prior art development in the field of convertible dollies and other carts into other useful structures such as stepladders or seats which can be used upon various water craft, there has been no recognition for the need to provide a transport cart for carrying goods along a dock wherein the cart could also serve as a secure staircase for both boarding a vessel tied at dockside as well as being utilized under certain conditions for disembarking the vessel.
As the movement of articles and goods along a boarded dock can be difficult, and as access to water craft is often precariously unsafe, the provision of means for providing safe access to water craft which means may also be used to assist in the transporting of goods to and from a boat could be of extreme benefit to the boating public.